Queens Park Children’s Playarea

The kids' playarea in Queens Park is a straightforward affair - swings, slides, climbing frames, the usual suspects - but it's free and cheerful, which counts for something when you're stuck in Mablethorpe with restless children. Nothing fancy, nothing Instagram-worthy, just solid play equipment set within a proper park that actually gives you somewhere to sit while they burn off energy.

It works best for the under-eights crowd. Older kids will exhaust the novelty in twenty minutes or so, but toddlers and primary school types can genuinely spend an hour here if you're lucky. The park itself is pleasant enough for a stroll once the playground's done with - there's space to walk about, which makes it feel less like a desperate last resort.

If you're staying at one of the caravan parks dotted round Mablethorpe - Seacroft or Haven Golden Sands are just under two miles away - this is exactly the sort of free, low-key outlet you need on a day when the beach is too windy or you fancy a break from the arcade. Costs nothing, requires minimal planning, and gets the job done. Don't expect anything sophisticated, but as an emergency kids' stop during a Lincolnshire coast holiday, it does what it says on the tin. Best visited when it's not raining, obviously, though there's usually enough tree cover to offer a bit of shelter.